Focused Feasting in a Culture of Craving

Five Minute Friday: CRAVE

I am well-acquainted with craving. When I was living overseas, I found myself craving the most random things. I craved turkey sandwiches, sweet potatoes, and sour candy. I also craved convenience and comforts of home. Even more, I found myself craving connection with other believers and a more intimate relationship with Jesus as the loneliness in my heart grew and grew. I was surrounded by unbelievers and understood little of the spiritual offerings at church in my second language. I realized that I had to fill myself with God’s word and busy myself with His work. Only then would the intense longing, the craving subside.

Back here on American soil, I have access to all the things I’ve craved for the last two years. What’s surprising to me is that nothing is as good as my memory made it. Nothing quite satisfies. Along with this dissatisfaction with fulfilled cravings, I sense a frustration upon seeing the culture of craving around me. Of course, this is amplified in the holiday season as we all create wish lists and seek to find the one perfect things our loved ones lack to stick in an overstuffed stocking. I try to remember this. Maybe this isn’t an accurate representation of America. But maybe it is. And maybe it’s also an accurate representation of my heart. Whatever culture I live within, I take my heart with me. And my heart is filled with longing, with craving.

I was created to crave Jesus. I grow and thrive in communion with Him, feasting on His word. I don’t want to suppress my appetite for the things of God by filling myself with the sweet and sugary tastes of this world. They satisfy my tongue but starve my spirit. This focused feasting might not change the local culture, but it will change me. That’s a good place to start.

20 Comments

Well, Amber…from the picture I realize that I do still crave maple-glazed doughnuts! Now, if Jesus would drop by with a bagful…I’d even offer to share!

Seriously, I’m pretty grateful for what I have. There are some things on my “would be nice to have” ist, sure, but life goes on just fine without them. God is immanent in my life, and it seems a bit redundant to ask for more.

Amber, it must be such an adjustment to be back here after living overseas. Sometimes things here feel “over the top,” as for how far people go to satisfy cravings. But you’re right. Our hearts can determine how we react to the cravings of our flesh, and Jesus is the best one to fill our hearts with.

So true that what we think we crave often just leaves us unsatisfied… there is so much more going on under the surface, hey? So glad to hear that things are going well so far with your trip and that the kids have adjusted well!

Amber, beautiful and truth filled post! It is true … the sweet tastes of the world DO satisfy but they satisfy only temporarily and will starve our spirits. The only way to lasting satisfaction is to crave more of Jesus. So glad I stopped to read your post this morning! Blessings to you and yours!

My sister is currently overseas, and I think of her every time I see that bag you have pictured at the end of your post. She’s been overseas on and off for years, and turkey avocado sandwiches are one of her favorites, but hard to get in the places she was/is. Anyway, thank you for this reminder to satisfy our cravings the right way, with the only One who will satisfy.

Aw! I’m sure you miss her so much! I hope you get to get together for some turkey/avocado sandwiches soon! We never get turkey either and I crave crave crave turkey sandwiches but for some strange reason I haven’t had one yet. It’s 10 pm but I feel like a trip to the grocery might be in order 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Emily.

I lived overseas too and understand what you said about craving foods. There were some things that can’t be replicated. Now that I live back in the US, I crave some of the foods I had there. (And I can’t replicate that food either. Sigh.)

My deepest cravings of the heart can only be satisfied in Christ, but I can easily try to mask my heart’s longings with busy-ness. That is where making the habit of prayer and devotion help me reconnect and stay centered.

When I am centered, I am able to rest and know peace. I know who I am and whose I am.

Good stuff, Cheryl. Thanks for sharing! I, too, often mask my dissatisfaction with busyness. I am naturally restless. God has dealt with me on this by forcing me to sit still while overseas. Where did you live? I can’t replicate food from Nepal either. My poor son loves dal bhat (rice and lentils/the baby version) and I have made it for him here and he HATES my version! Wah! Love that last part you wrote. Clearly God has spoken to you about this subject already! Thanks for stopping by here to read my perspective on it.